light pricing........4ft fluorescent tubes

i just got back from walmart and they have 4ft fluro shop lights for $15. they hold 2 bulbs each. i already have 4 of them and i wanted to get some more lights to make another box with (the one works great but im greedy and need more). i found these online and would like to know,
are my lights and this one the same thing???? i assume that these are of better quality as far as internal ballast etc......
but they use the same bulbs and same power, this light is no more effective than mine is it? (and @ a $131 price difference too)



PRICE INCLUDES T5 BULBS
Sunlight Supply's New Wave T5 high output fluorescent grow light includes German Tek Reflectors. This 4ft. - 2 bulb 108W fluorescent grow light system has a white steel housing. All T5 Lights come complete with your choice of 54W T5 bulbs. Choose from 6500K cool for plant growth & seedlings or 3000K warm for fruiting & flowering or mix the bulbs. T5 bulbs emit very little heat so the New Wave T5 Fluorescent fixture can be hung very close to the plants increasing light levels.
This New Wave T5 HO fluorescent grow light fixture is lightweight and easy to hang. The optional Sun Lift (not included) allows easily raising and lowering the T5 fixture. The solid state electronic ballast in enclosed in the fixture and does not emit heat, noise or vibration. The New Wave T5 fixture also includes 2 chrome "V" hangers and 8ft. grounded power cord or upgrade to 20ft. power cord.


Item #PriceSale Price960195$199.00$174.99

T5 Bulbs:Mix-1 of Each 6500K-Cool 3000K-Warm No Bulbs(-28.00) Power Cord:8ft. 20ft Cord(+20.00) Hanger:None Cable Hanger Kit(+31.95) 6500K T5 Bulbs:--Select Items to Add--6500K-Cool (+$13.99)3000K T5 Bulbs:--Select Items to Add--3000K-Warm (+$13.99) Your Total Price: $146.99



Enter Qty.

960195
NEW-WAVE-T5









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the ones i have look similar to this except the cord was only 3in long sticking out of the side. no prob though, a cheap $1 extension cord made a good 8ft cord for all of mine.

What kind of lights do you have? You asked if they are the same as your lights but i dont see anything explaining your lights. I use t12 lights. Im not sure about this but i believe the t5's are always more expensive. Check this link and see if it can explain it better. Commercial Lighting Tax Deduction

sorry i posted before i seen the pic of your kind. Do you know if they are t5 or t12?

"You get what you pay for"
the walmart shoplights are T-8's. They produce alot lot LESS light than the more expensive T-5's you get from the growshops. The bulbs aren't interchangable also. For around $30 shipped, you can get a 65W Fluorex Floodlight made by Lights of America, that puts out 4550 usable lumens and is only about 8"x12"x4" w/ reflector. The shoplights from walmart w/ (2) 40W fluorescent bulbs produce around 1600 usable lumens per 2-bulb fixture and require alot more space.

Heat is also not an issue w/ the Fluorex.... runs no hotter than the 3 shoplights it takes to equal the lumens. Wiring is as easy as buying a lamp replacement kit from walmart and twisting the 2 connections together. The kit is simply an extension chord without the female end... 2 bare wires instead. Tape the connections, wire nut too to be safe, and plug it in. OR you can spend the extra money online and find the ones on EBAY already wired for you but it costs alot more than the chord from walmart.

drock101 said:

"You get what you pay for"
the walmart shoplights are T-8's. They produce alot lot LESS light than the more expensive T-5's you get from the growshops. The bulbs aren't interchangable also. For around $30 shipped, you can get a 65W Fluorex Floodlight made by Lights of America, that puts out 4550 usable lumens and is only about 8"x12"x4" w/ reflector. The shoplights from walmart w/ (2) 40W fluorescent bulbs produce around 1600 usable lumens per 2-bulb fixture and require alot more space.

Click to expand...

So do t12's produce less light than a t8. The lower the number the better? I have a big box of 40 watt t12's. Im pretty cheap so im just going with what i got.

drock101 said:

Heat is also not an issue w/ the Fluorex.... runs no hotter than the 3 shoplights it takes to equal the lumens. Wiring is as easy as buying a lamp replacement kit from walmart and twisting the 2 connections together. The kit is simply an extension chord without the female end... 2 bare wires instead. Tape the connections, wire nut too to be safe, and plug it in. OR you can spend the extra money online and find the ones on EBAY already wired for you but it costs alot more than the chord from walmart.

Click to expand...

no man mine are T12's. thats what type of bulb I have in them. T8's are thinner bulbs the same length.
the light i have runs either T12 or T8 bulbs since the only difference is in thickness of the bulb and the bulbs have to have the 2 sideposts on both ends that roll into the lamp. i have 1 red and 1 blue bulb in there during veg then i switch them all to red during flowering.

High Tech Garden Supply
20 bucks cheaper... and its a 400 W HPS...

kochab said:

no man mine are T12's. thats what type of bulb I have in them. T8's are thinner bulbs the same length.
the light i have runs either T12 or T8 bulbs since the only difference is in thickness of the bulb and the bulbs have to have the 2 sideposts on both ends that roll into the lamp. i have 1 red and 1 blue bulb in there during veg then i switch them all to red during flowering.

Click to expand...

Can you tell me what you mean by 1 red 1 blue

Thanks

The lwer the T size the better the light out puts such as worst to best in florescent tubes T12,T10,T8,T5 big differences in each. Walmart sells T8 and some T10.I was at wal mart today the T8s are $7.96 and menard has the T8s for 4.95 both are the 2 four foot bulb lights. I was at Home depot today and they ad 8 T5 ballast with cords on clearence foe $30 a pop.They were 1 bulb 4 footers which isnt bad so youd have a T5 4 tube setup for $120

When growing you have 2 different light color ranges or spectrums refered to has the kelvin range. Veg you use the blue 6700k and flower the 2700 k red.orage.Mixing both during flower is a great boost. the blue keeps plants compact and tight while the red makes the buds big and hard.

thats the 1st time I've heard a store have somthing way cheaper than the internet... at least that I can rememeber...

All depends you gotta shop around. Some places give net discounts and some give in store discounts only.Usually web is cheaper as taxes arent a must.

I don't grow pot, but I use a Lithonia worklight shoplight. I modify if by using the stock ballast to overdrive one of the lamps. I put another similar electronic ballast to overdrive the other lamp. Each 32w t8 is being run by one ballast at about 54 watts, and putting out 5000 lumens per tube instead of 3050 nominal. Also, I line the reflector with mylar to increase the reflectivity. The Lithonia fixture sells for $25, but is nice because it has a curved reflector. This method will deliver about 5000 lumens per square foot, which is optimal for high light intensity plants, such as roses, which I grow.

FilthyFletch said:

When growing you have 2 different light color ranges or spectrums refered to has the kelvin range. Veg you use the blue 6700k and flower the 2700 k red.orage.Mixing both during flower is a great boost. the blue keeps plants compact and tight while the red makes the buds big and hard.

Click to expand...

This is very true! I have six 3 foot 6500k T5s, and a 150watt HPS,with a couple 45 watt 2700k cfls. I used all the lights during veg and flower. Here is a current pic at day 18 of flowering. The proof is here go for T5s I love them.

I grow Christmas trees

object16 said:

I don't grow pot, but I use a Lithonia worklight shoplight. I modify if by using the stock ballast to overdrive one of the lamps. I put another similar electronic ballast to overdrive the other lamp. Each 32w t8 is being run by one ballast at about 54 watts, and putting out 5000 lumens per tube instead of 3050 nominal. Also, I line the reflector with mylar to increase the reflectivity. The Lithonia fixture sells for $25, but is nice because it has a curved reflector. This method will deliver about 5000 lumens per square foot, which is optimal for high light intensity plants, such as roses, which I grow.

Click to expand...

I know a place that is doing this with their 4 foot HO T5s and they are getting 15000 lumens per tube instead of 5000 lumens with an ove diven ballest. They sell them for $54.99can per tube.... Toronto Hemp Company

mattso101 said:

I know a place that is doing this with their 4 foot HO T5s and they are getting 15000 lumens per tube instead of 5000 lumens with an ove diven ballest. They sell them for $54.99can per tube.... Toronto Hemp Company

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how do you overdrive a t5 ballast to get 15000 lumens.that would be the most efficient grow lighton the market,or does the ballast then use more watts then the 54 watts.

trapper said:

how do you overdrive a t5 ballast to get 15000 lumens.that would be the most efficient grow lighton the market,or does the ballast then use more watts then the 54 watts.

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Im not exactly sure how they over drive the ballest but. I do know the bulbs will not last that long when this is done. and HO t5 bulbs are not cheap at about 10 buck a pop. so you wouldnt reall want to be repacing 8 bulbs a year. But tose light do work great!